Mating Season
by SylvaDragon
Summary: It's spring, the most romantic time of the year. Everyone at Hogwarts seems to be part of a couple, everyone except Albus and Minerva. A springtime story, mainly MMAD, but also FFPS, HPHG, and SSRH.


Mating Season

It was a beautiful spring day at Hogwarts, the sky crystal clear and cloudless, the new grass freshly green, daffodils and bluebells swayed softly in the breeze, and the first pale yellow primroses poked their heads above the earth. Albus and Minerva strolled contentedly by the lake, both enjoying the feeling of pleasant companionship.

As the two friends turned a corner in the twisting path, they glanced Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sitting close together on a bench under a willow tree. As they watched Harry shyly leaned towards Hermione and kissed her, Minerva's lips narrowed in disapproval as Hermione smiled up at Harry and kissed him back. Just as Minerva was about to intervene Albus' hand on her arm stopped her, Minerva turned and glared fiercely at him as he twinkled approvingly at the young couple, who were now enjoying their first real kiss.

"This is a school Albus, not a single's bar." Minerva snapped, "Miss Granger is a highly intelligent girl, and I don't want her distracted from her studies by such nonsence."

"My dear Minerva, she can't study all the time, she needs to have some fun as well." Albus answered lightly, as he beamed at Harry and Hermione as though he thought that kissing was perfectly appropriate behaviour.

Minerva rolled her eyes in disgust, "I suppose you're going to start waffling on about how wonderful young love is ..." She remarked ascerbically.

Albus opened his mouth as though to answer, then seemed to think better of it, and simply sighed softly as a trace of sadness flashed across his face.

Minerva gazed at him, confused and a little worried by his sudden change of mood. "Albus ...Is anything wrong ?" She asked.

For a few moments Albus actually seemed to be lost for words, a most unusual occurance. "Just an old man's foolish fancies my dear." He answered softly, in a voice that sent a most perturbing shiver down Minerva's spine. For a second she thought she saw a hint of passion shimmering in his eyes, then dismissed it as ridiculous and simply the time of year.

"Shall we continue our walk ?" Albus asked after a few moments of silence.

"Very well." Minerva replied, then with a sidelong glance at Albus added, "After all you need plenty of exercise with all the candy you eat."

Albus chuckled and his blue eyes sparkled in merriment at her attempt at teasing him, and Minerva couldn't help but notice how his eyes were the exact same blue as the skies above.

As their walk continued the two friends passed through a meadow filled with brightly coloured spring blooms, and dotted with cherry trees covered in pink and white blossom. In the distance they could see Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout holding hands tenderly. As they watched the little man who was nearly dwarfed by some of the taller flowers, lept onto a tree stump in a sprightly manner and kissed Pomona lovingly on the lips. She promptly responded by gathering him in her arms, and swinging him round in the air with his legs dangling, before returning his kiss with great delight. Albus and Minerva could hear the pair's happy laughter from where they stood, and as they watched them kiss each other again a spasm of regret laced with a hint of loneliness flitted across both their faces.

"They make a quite delightful couple, don't they ?" Albus said softly.

Minerva glanced at him curiously as she noticed an unusual tremour in his voice, almost like sadness, and yet he smiled as brightly as ever. Minerva supressed a sigh and nodded in agreement.

As the two best friends continued their walk, they came to a part of the path that was still thick with mud after the winter's snow, and branched off under the thick dark pine forest that grew close to the lake shores. The air was musty with the scent of pine and heather, the ground covered in rich green moss, and all was silent here. Suddenly an unusual sound attracted their attention and as they peered through the trees they saw the unmistakable form of Severus Snape, wrapped in a passionate embrace with Rolanda Hooch.

Minerva gasped in shock, Rolanda was one of her closest friends and they told each other everything, always had ever since they were at school together, yet Rolanda had not breathed a word about this. Minerva stared at Severus and Rolanda as though she thought her eyes decieved her, Albus however seemed completely unastonished as he drew Minerva back into the forest, and away down the path.

"You look surprised my dear Minerva, don't tell me you didn't know." Albus said casually, as he beamed at Minerva in a very self satisfied way, which clearly said that he was delighted with himself for knowing something that she didn't.

Minerva bristled indignantly and snapped, "What do you mean didn't know ?"

"Oh yes, she's had a thing about Severus ever since fifth year." Albus answered, then smiled at Minerva in the same infuriating manner as before.

Minerva drew herself up to her full height, and adopted her most dignified stance, "Nonsence Albus, I would have known if that were so." She replied as though that were the end of the matter.

Albus however seemed to want to continue the discussion as he answered, in a voice that in Minerva's opinion was annoyingly know it all, "I assure you my dear Minerva, it's true, Rolanda always carried a torch for Severus. Didn't you notice ?"

"Absolutely ridiculous Albus !" Minerva snapped, glaring at him fiercely as her eyes flashed with a flicker of emerald fire, in a way that Albus found utterly charming. "And No, I didn't notice, because there was nothing to notice." Minerva added firmly.

Albus' only response was a soft chuckle that infuriated Minerva, really he could be the most annoying man at times, twinkling and chuckling in that irritating manner.

"She was one of my best friends at school, I would most certainly have noticed if she had liked Severus." Minerva snapped furiously.

Albus seemed completely unconcerned by Minerva's rising anger as he answered softly. "I assure you I am correct my dear Minerva."

Minerva only just suppressed the urge to push Albus into the nearby lake, as she snarled, "And I assure you that I would have known."

"Friends don't always know everything about each other ..." Albus replied, as the corners of his mouth twitched in the way they always did when he was trying to surpress a chuckle.

"Rolanda and I did." Minerva stated in a tone that clearly said that this discussion was over, as she glared at Albus as though she was tempted to hex him.

"Well you didn't notice this. Perhaps your famed powers of observation weren't so well developed then, my dear." Albus answered, with the most annoying hint of triumph in his voice.

"Oh really !" Minerva snarled, the fire in her emerald eyes blazing full force, "Well you can talk Albus Dumbledore, you've utterly failed to notice for the last twenty years that your best friend is in love with you." Suddenly Minerva seemed to realise what she'd just said, and her face turned ashen as she stared at Albus, who looked almost ready to faint in shock - his eyes wide with what Minerva took to be horror, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

Minerva did the only thing she could under the cicumstances, she gathered the shattered remnants of her dignity around her, stuck her nose in the air and swept off down the path. A strong warm grasp on her arm stopped her in her tracks, turning her to face Albus who was gazing at her with intense blue eyes that sparkled like the sunlight on the lake. Next thing she knew his lips were caressing her's tenderly, as his firm hands drew her into a warm loving embrace. Minerva's eyes fluttered shut as she allowed herself to be entranced by the feeling of his mouth on her's, the aroma of lemon drops and chocolate, the faint tickle of his silvery beard against her skin. His kiss was everything she had dreamed of all these long years.

At last they parted, though they still stood close together arms wrapped tenderly around each other. As Albus twinkled down at her, he whispered softly, "You know my love, you also completely failed to notice that your best friend has also been in love with you for the last twenty years."

Minerva lifted her head from it's resting place against his shoulder, and gazed up at Albus with green eyes full of passion that thrilled him to the core. "Oh shut up and kiss me again." She commanded, and Albus was only too happy to obey.

_Author's Notes_

_Inspired by a beautiful spring day, spring is my favourite season. I've never written romantic scenes for any of the couples before except Minerva and Albus, I hope they seem right. Please review. Reviews will be loved and treasured. ;)_

_I should add here, that the timelines are slightly altered thus allowing Minerva, Severus and Rolanda to all be at school at the same time. My only other choice would have been not to write this story, and I did say Gah and Eeek when I realised the issue with the time lines, and oh bother. So please suspend logic and just enjoy lol. _


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